Devon Cricket Board - Kerton injury takes shine off Plymouth win

Kerton injury takes shine off Plymouth win

PLYMOUTH remain five points behind Sidmouth at the top of the table following a 76-run win over visiting North Devon.

That’s three wins on the trot now for Plymouth, fuelling thoughts of ending their long-wait for a Premier title.

Plymouth have not gone through their first three games without losing at least one of them since returning to the top flight in 2008.

However, victory did come at a price as young pacer Hal Kerton picked up a nasty leg injury midway through his fifth over and will be out for a month.

Kerton collapsed while running up with what was feared to be a ruptured achilles tendon, but has since been diagnosed as a bad sprain.

“Hal bowled with real pace and was up there with the quickest on the day until he rolled his ankle,” said skipper Matt Hooper.

“We are hoping he is back sooner rather than later and Gionne bowled very accurately with big turn.”

James Toms (58) and Ben Stein (40) put on exactly 100 for the first wicket in a Plymouth total of 256 for seven.

Toms looked like going further when he was run-out by Barney Huxtable from mid-on.

“It was great to get a 100-run opening partnership and brilliant to see James Toms and Ben Stein both post scores,” said Hooper.

“What was even better was that both were disappointed on not going to make a big score. “

Gianne Koopman (29) and Harry Stephenson (35) kept the tins flicking over, then Steve Luffman (38) and Hooper (23) got some more at the end.

“Gionne batted brilliantly,” said Hooper. “I am looking forward to seeing him bat throughout the summer.

“He kept the board ticking over and plays spin very well. He makes it look very easy.

“Steve Luffman's experience alongside Harry was the difference between 200 all out and 250 against some good bowling at the end.”

Keeping the runs down was a problem for North Devon - especially South Australian new boy Jack Pudney, who was one for 68 from 10 overs.

North Devon needed a sold start, so being 71 for five after a wring over from Sam Stein (2-27) and Dave Burke (2-33) wasn’t ideal.

Max Curtis was unlucky to drag a width ball from Koopman on to his pads and then his stumps from Jason Hayes during an over from Kerton.

Skipper Matt Westway didn’t have a lot of luck either as he was run out by a deflection on to the sgumps

Tom Allin (27) and Hayes (45no) improved the situation, but spinner Koopman (4-60) kept chipping away and North Devon were all out for 180 with more than 13 overs to go.

Pudney had a flail at the end – his 29 came off 11 balls and included three successive sixes off Koopman.

“All in all a good performance, our fielding got a bit slack towards the end, mainly my own, so it was by no means perfect,” said Hooper in his summing up.

“However, you have to be happy to take 20 points off such a good side.”

Matt Westway, the North Devon captain, said his side didn’t play to the best of their ability on what is a notorious bogey ground for them.

“We inevitably do badly at Mount Wise – 40-odd all out not that long ago springs to mind – and compared to some of our previous displays there this was among the better ones, but it was still rubbish,” said Westaway.

“”Plymouth set us a gettable total if we played well, but we didn’t.

“Sam Stein and Dave Burke took us apart – and we were out of it at 71 for five.”

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